NABIS in the News

NABIS Invited To Firearms Conference In South Africa

26th February 2018

The National Ballistics Intelligence Service has been invited to attend a firearms conference in South Africa this week as guests of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

Clive Robinson, Head of Operational Support at NABIS, is attending the three day event in Johannesburg and will talk to delegates about last Autumn's national UK firearms surrender. NABIS co-ordinated the surrender on behalf of NPCC criminal use of firearms lead, ACC Helen McMillan.

The conference is part of on-going work to engage with partners to reduce firearms proliferation in South Africa and other parts of the world. It will focus on common challenges and shared solutions to increase detection and reporting of illicit small arms and light weapons.

In September 2015 the UN Member States adopted Sustainable Development Goal 16.4 which aims to significantly reduce illicit arms flows by 2030.

Clive Robinson (pictured) said: "This is a great opportunity for NABIS to support international partners and share learning around firearms. Compared to other parts of the world, gun crime levels in the UK remain relatively low. However we cannot afford to become complacent and last year's gun surrender saw thousands of unwanted firearms handed in, as well as ammunition."

The final tally of firearms and ammunition surrendered during the national gun surrender in November 2017 is not yet finalised. However we know that the total number will be much higher than for the previous national firearms surrender in 2014.